Printing mechanism



April 6, 1937. K. J. DOLLAHITE 2,076,177

PRINTING MECHANISM Filed May 18, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l 1 -Z c 1 M, {M 575a 2 W o 1 I4? 755 I 5 +77 4f INVENTOR. A] 7/ KJDOLLAHITE- A ORNEY April1937. K. J. DOLLAHITE 2,076,177

" PRINTING MECHANISM Filed May 18 1956 s Sheets Sheet z 7 7 k I so YINVENTOIM Kd-DOLLAHITL April6,1937. KJDOLLAHWE 2,076,171

' PRINTING MECHANISM Filed May 18, 1956 :5 sheets-sheet s IN VEN TOR.

KJDOLLAHITE ATT RNEY Patented Apr. 6, 1937 UNITED STATES PRINTINGMECHANISM Kenneth J. Dollahite, Fort Worth, Tex.

Application May 1a, 1936, Serial No. 80,363

i 3 Claims. (01. 101-215) My invention relates to printing presses andmore particularly to a press which will accomplish a class of workcommonly known as pianographic ofi set printing, but which will do sowithout the use of planographic ofi set plates;- and the object is toprovide a rotary or reciprocal form of printing press of a simple andinexpensive design which is adapted touse an ordinary type form composedof type, half-tone cuts, etchings, and/or any other cuts or blocksdesigned to print from a fiat bed, in the form of type, that is to say,in the form whichwhen printed, produces a readable print from the firstimpression, as ordinary printers type, or a plate etched in the negativeform from a print or transfer of ordinary type form or cut.

It has been definitely proven that the finished work of this machine canbe made to "cover better and be of greater brilliancy than theconventional planographic off set work, as it is so mechanicallyconstructed that the negative transfer cylinder receives two inkingsfrom the positive transfer cylinder to each impression on the sheetprinted.

' In the type of press wherein I use the reciprocation of the bed plate,"the type form is locked in a chase on the fiat bed, in the same manneras the ordinary fiat bed cylinder letter press. In the reciprocal as inthe rotary type form of press, I am enabled to produce genuine ofi setwork without the use of the conventional planographic ofi set plate, anddirect from a type form without the usual make ready, viding a-principleof printingwhich is less expensive in operation and requires less timeto produce.

This inexpensive method of speeding up the work is by elimination of"make ready as used in letter presses, the water roller principle usedin the conventional planographic "oflset" meth- 0d, and the eliminationof all photographic equipment and procedure. This system of "ofi settingdirect from a type form not only eliminates the make ready and the timetherefor, but practically eliminates all causes for wearing or breakingdown the finest lines of a plate, type form, or cuts, and the result isa perfect lithographic efiect. Because of the elimination of the waterroller method, and the sensitized plate of the ordinary planographicoflset press, this invention provides means for printing enamelledpaper, as there is no sensitized plate to be injured by the injuriousproperties present in the paper.

It has been found in the use ,of this printing thus proplate is that ofthe primary transfer press that the work is far superior in appearanceto letter press printing, as it has no impression" through the paper,and produces a sharper print at less cost than the ordinary letter pressprinting. As there is no impression through the paper, there is nodanger of oil setting on the back or reverse side of the paper orcurling of stock, commonly experienced in letter press printing, thuspermitting a quicker delivery of work. The absence of the impression" onthe paper permits the paper to lie more compactly,

which permits greater ease in handling and requires less storage space.7

Another "advantage of this press is that it requires less ink than theconventional letter press, and gives longer life to the form rollers.

Still another advantage of this method of printing is that the absenceof impression direct on the cut or plate permits the production of afiner detail, as the depth of the etching may be less than that forletter press printing, which produces a finer detail. Where a screenefiect is desired, it may be accomplished from a solid block or plate byplacing a cloth of the desired fineness or weave around the platenportion of the platen roller, thus eliminating the necessity and cost ofhaving a screen half-tone, as required in the conventional machines.

Another advantage of this invention is that tint blocks, borders,geometrical designs, etc., or any figure or shape which can be designedfrom leather, press-board, linoleum, etc., are successfullyv used, asthe only pressure on the block or That is to say, any substance of anature that can be placed on the bed plate and receive an inking, andwithstand the slight pressure of the primary transfer surface andtheform rollers, may be used to impart its natural texture or design onthe work.

Still another advantage of this invention is that the simplicity ofstructure and principle does not require the attention of a highlyskilled operator, and the absence of all photographic equipment permitsthe production of superior work at a minimum expense, and in less timethan is possible to obtain on the conventional design of planographicofl'set or letter presses, Another important advantageof this inventionis that the type of press which carries a metallic printing surface forthe negative transfer roller, having the necessary resilience under thesheet, gives greater brilliancy to the printing than ordinarylithographic work, as the metallic surface.

surface acts as a polisher, as in letter press printing.

Other objects and advantages will be fully explained in the followingdescription, and the invention will be more particularly pointed out inthe claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings which form a part of thisapplication.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic bed plate, guides, strippers, and grippers ofthe press, showing the press in position for'receiving a sheet of paper.In this view, the transfer roller is down and in position to impart theprint to the paper.

Fig. 2 is a similar diagrammatic view, showing the position of theabove-named parts when the combination cylinder has turned a half turnfrom that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the position of the relative partswhen the cylinder has turned another half turn from that shown in Fig.2.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the same, showing the cylinder movedanother half turn or one and a half turns from the position shown inFig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a similar view, showing the parts of the press in the sameposition as that shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the same;

showing the adaptation thereof to a rotary form of plate carrier.

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic view of the ends of the cylinders, showingtheir gearing and the method of driving the same.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the two rollers or cylinders, showingthe gearing for actuating the same, control of the bed plate, and othercontrol medium for the various roller cooperating parts.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the press, showing a suggested formthereof and inking means for the type form of the reciprocating bedplate.

Fig. 10 is a detail view of the means for controlling the grippers ofthe combination cylinder of the press.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged end view of the one of the two cylinders showingthe structure thereof.

Fig. 12 is a detail view of the resilient anchorage of the axle bearingof the transfer roller of the machine.

Fig. 13 is a similar view taken at right angles to the view shown inFig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. 15 is a detail view of the means for sliding of the form rollers onthe frame of the bed of the press.

Fig. 16 is a diagrammatic view of the two rollers or cylinders inoperative relation with a rotary form of type or plate carrier.

Fig. 17 is a plan view of the reciprocating gear of the press bed andmeans of journalling same.

As the primary object of this invention is to provide a method ofoff-set printing by means of two rollers, I provide a combinationcylinder I, which is rotatably disposed relative to the type form, orplate; and a secondary transfer cylinder or roller 2 in operativerelation with the cylinder. In the first six figures of the drawings, Ishow a diagrammatic illustration of the steps taken in acquiring off-setwork direct from type form without the conventional planographicprocess, equipment, and time for make-ready.

Fig. 1 consists of an end view of a combination cylinder I which servesas a primary transfer composition roller and a platen. Approximatelyone-half of the cylinder I is provided with view of the rollers.

suitable removable resilient composition surface 3 to serve as apositive transfer roller from the type form. The other half of thecylinder surface is provided with a platen surface 4 suitable for theuse of a tympan and packing for carrying the paper to be printed upon.In this viewI as in the succeeding four views, the press is providedwith a reciprocating bed 5. In Fig. 1 the press is in position forreceiving a sheet of paper A or other medium to be printed upon. Thepaper is moved on the feeder board 6 into contact with the guides I andin position to be held on the platen by the grippers 8 which are carriedin the cylinder I. In this position, the strippers of the press orraised and the transfer roller 2 is down and in position, relative tothe cylinder I, to transfer the impression to the paper as the paperpasses between the cylinder I and secondary roller 2. Atthis instant,the type or form carrier 5 is. in its lower position under the feedboard 6 and ready to move to the opposite end of the press.

When the combination cylinder I has moved a half turn from its positionwhen receiving the paper, (see Fig. 2) the transfer roller 2 has made acomplete revolution and imparted the impression to the sheet A carriedon the platen 4 of the cylinder I, and the bed 5 has travelled towardsthe opposite end of the press.

A further half turn of the cylinder I, which is a full revolution fromthe position in which it received the paper, (see Fig. 3) thecomposition 3 of the cylinder I has imparted its impression to thesecondary roller 2; the transfer roller 2 is ready to raise and permitthe strippers 9 to strip the paper from the platen I. At this time, thetype form carrier 5 is in an up position under the stripper fingers andready-to travel back under the feed board 6 of the press.

Another half turn of the combination cylinder, as shown in Fig. 4, whichwould be a turn and a half of the same from its receipt of the sheet ofpaper, delivers the sheet of paper upon a conveyer belt I0 and thetransfer roller 2 drops to receive the print again from the compositionportion 3 of the cylinder I. At this position of the press, the carrier5 is back under the feeder board in an up position and has imparted itsimpression to the portion 3 of the combination cylinder 8.

A further turn of the combination roller, which is a full two turns ofthe same from its receipt of the sheet of paper and as shown in Fig. 5,positions the same again in the position as shown in Fig. 1. In thisposition it is again ready to repeat the movements stated above.

It is obvious that, from the description of the movements of therelative parts of the machine, that the transfer roller 2 receives twoinkings from the composition surface 3 of the-cylinder I for each sheetof paper passed through the press; that for each rotation of thecombination cylinder I, the type .form 5 travels from one extreme to theother of its reciprocation; that the transfer roller 2 makes tworevolutions to one of the combination cylinder I; and that the transferroller is in engagement with the combination cylinder at all timesexcept when the paper is stripped from the cylinder I by the fingers 9.

In order to assemble and control the abovenamed parts of the press andmake them function together to obtain the desired result, I provide aframe which consists of a rectangular base form having side members IIand end members Cal l2. These members are rigidly attached together attheir respective ends and the comers thereof are provided with uprightsl3" made rigid therewith and adapted to act as supports for a secondhorizontally placed rectangularframe disposed in alignment with andabove the first rectangular frame. This second rectangular frameconsists of side members H, the ends thereof-being rigidly attached toend members I 5. A pair of angular castings l6 are made rigid with thesides of both rectangular frames and are vertically disposed parallelwith each other so as to serve as bearing support for the axis of thetwo rollers. The brackets l6, adjacent the main gearing, are anchored toM by means of a bracket.

The upper roller or the transfer roller 2, may consist of a plainmetallic surface to receive the print from the lower cylinder orcombination cylinder I, or may be constructed to carry the conventionalrubber blanket or other suitable substance. a central shaft l6 maderigidtherewith and provided with keyed gears I! on each end thereof. When therubber substance is carried on the surface of the roller 2, it may beattached in the face 4 on the cylinder as the openings of the cylinder Iconventional manner, that is, one edge is made rigid with the roller andthe other edge passed over a medium for controlling the tension of thesubstance on the roller. In this instance the edge of the rubber blanketis passed over a square shaft and fastened thereto which is journaled inthe roller and provided with a ratchet wheel l3 keyed or otherwiserigidly secured thereto. A dog i9 is positioned in the roller so as tocooperate with the wheel i8 so that when tension is taken on the blanketby turning the shaft, the dog l9 will engage and hold turning.

A similar structure is provided for holding the primary transfer surface3 and the tympan surof the press (shown in Fig. 11). In this instance,the cylinder is provided with two elongated openings positioned onopposite sides of they axis of the cylinder for installation of thesurface control units of the same. The relative diameter of the tworollers and 2 permits the upper roller or the roller 2 to travel twoturns to one of the cylinder I. The transfer roller 2 is provided withone elongated slot or opening of the same width, more or less, As thecylinder rotates one turn, the surface of the transfer roller 2 willcontact with the transfer surface 3 and then with the sheet of paperpassed through the press.

The combination cylinder is provided with a rigid axle 28 having gearwheels 2| made rigid with each end thereof and adapted to mesh with anddrive the gears I! of the transfer roller 2. This axle 20 is preferablya hollow cylinder or tube through which the actuating mechanism of thegrippers 8 may be passed. The extreme outer ends of the axles of thetransfer roller 2 and the cylinder l are provided with bearings 22 and23 respectively which are anchored between the parallel upright membersl6 of the press frame.

A bar 24 is made rigid with the pair of members l6 and positionedbelow'the bearing 22 so as to span the space between the pair of membersand adjustably support the bearing 22 by means of set screws 25. Theextreme lower position of the transfer roller 2 may be determined byscrewing the set screw 25 inand out bar 24. The bearing 22 rests uponthe set screw 25 and'is resiliently held thereagainst by means Theroller 2 is provided with' the wheel 3 of the shaft from wheel 36'maderigid therewith.

of the of a coil spring 26, A second bar 21 is similarly attached to thepair of members l6 and positioned above the bearing 22 to serve assupport for the coil spring 26. A hollow exterior threaded member 28 isscrewed through the member or bar 24 in the direction ofthe top of thebearing 22. A nut 23 is made rigid with the top of the member 28 andadapted to serve as a purchase in screwing the member 23 to and from thetop of the bearing 22. A bolt 30 is made rigid with the top of thebearing 22 and adapted to telescope through the member 23. The coilspring 26 is positioned around the bolt 30 and interposed between thebase of the member 28 and the top of the bearing 22.

This structure permits the operator of the press to vary the tension ofthe transfer roller 2 against the cylinder I, as shown in Figs. 12 and13. t

The extreme ends of the axles 20 of the cylinder I are provided withbearings 23 which are adiustabiy positioned between the pairs of membersIS. The adjustment of the bearings 23 is preferable in case of wear ofthe press and may .be obtained by any suitable manner, preferably bypositioning the bearings 23 between the member l6, similar to theposition of the bearings 22, and adjustably anchor them by means of across member 24f which spans the space between each pair of'members l8.

The raising of the transfer roller 2 to permit passage of the sheet ofpaper after it has received the impression, consists of providing areciproeating shaft 3| slidably' mounted in the press so that it willengage the bearing 22 of the transfer roller 2 and compress the spring26. The upper end of thesliaft 3| is provided with a lug 32 made rigidtherewith and adapted to extend under the bearing 22. A set screw 33 ispassed through the lug 32 and against the base of the bearing 22 so thatadjustment thereof will vary the extent to which the shaft 3| will raisethe transfer roller 2.

In-the operation of preferablyprovided slidably mounted in the cylinderand adapted to be. actuated by suitable gearing from the drive medium ofthe press. In this instance, the grippers '8 are adjustably mountedrigidly upon their shaft 35. The

the grippers 3, the press is with a reciprocating rack 34 shaft :5 isjournaled in the cylinder parallel with the axis thereof and providedwith a gear A gear wheel 31 is provided with a rigid axle 31' journaledin the shaft 20 and positioned therein so as to mesh with and drive thewheel-36. The rack gear. 34 is adapted to mesh with and drive a gearwheel as which is also made rigid with the axle :n' and positionedwithin the hollow-shaft 23. The reciprocation of the rack gear may beaccomplished as shown in Fig. v10. In this instance, a shaft which issuitably geared with the drive medium of the press is'provided with acam 33 keyed thereto and provided with a peripheral surface adapted tomove the grippers 3, through cooperating mechanism, so that they willpcsitivelyopen and close the fingers at the desired time. A shaft 40isprovided with a roller 4| iournaled thereon and adapted to ride in thegroove of the cam. The other end of the shaft is provided with a yoke 42which is adapted to pass around the end of the rack 34 and beresiliently connected there-,

the hollow shaft axle 20 of 4 to so that the cam 39 may move the shaft40 in its bearing 43 and reciprocate the rack 34. A pail ably connectedto the table 58 and ill of the yoke 42, and adiustably held thereon bymeans of bolts 45. The object of this form of resiliently connecting theyoke of the' control shaft 45 with the rack 84 is to vary the tension onthe grippers 8 and to provide means of connection that will not hinderthe rotation of the shaft 84 with the rotation of the cylinder I. It isapparent that other means may be used for the control of the grippers aswell as control of the various parts of the press. As it is possible forthe press to be built with conventional means of control of thestrippers 8 and guides 1, the mechanism therefor is not shown in thisapplication. This is also true of a few of the other parts which arewell known in the art and may be provided with conventional structurefor operating them and timing them in accordance with the method ofprinting as .herein outlined.

A form of gearing the two rollers is presented in Figs. 7 and 8, inwhich a master drive shaft 41 is journaled in the frame of the press andprovided with a pair of pulleys 48. The pulleys 48 cooperate with theshaft 41 in the conventional manner so that the drive medium, belted toone and then the other of the pulleys, will impart rotation to the shaftat the will of the operator. The shaft 41 may also be provided with afly wheel 49 keyed thereto and positioned in a convenient place so thatit may be turned manually by the operator of the machine. An idler 55 isrotatably mounted in the press frame and. meshed with both the gearwheel II of the cylinder and a gear wheel or pinion 5| of the mastershaft 41. The pinion 5| is keyed to the shaft 41 and also meshed with agear wheel 52 which is pro.

vided with a rigid shaft joumaled in the press frame and adapted tocontrol the reciprocation of the bed of the press. This form of gearingwill serve to actuate the combination cylinder and the secondarytransfer roller, control the bed reciprocation, and may be utilized toactuate various attachments carried in the press.

The bed of the press may consist of a table 53 horizontally adjustablypositioned ona frame member 54 by means of bolts 55 which arerotatadapted to screw through the frame member 54. The frame 54 isprovided with a track 55 made rigid with each side thereof and adaptedto serve as guides for anti-friction rollers 51. A second track 58 ismade rigid with a frame member 59 and positioned directly under thetrack 55 so that the rollers may travel between the two tracks 55 and 58during the reciprocation of the bed 5. The frame 58 is preferablyrectangular in form and provided with rods 55 made rigid with eachcorner thereof and vertically disposed so that their lower ends may beadjustably supported by cams 5|. The lower ends of the rods 58 arethreaded and provided with adjusting nuts 52 screwed thereon and adaptedto rest upon the outer periphery of the cams 5|. The cams 5| of each endof the rectangular form 58 are provided with a rigid axle journaled inangles to the reciprocation of the bed 5 and adapted to be actuated bythe bed so that the same may be raised and lowered during thereciprocation thereof.

The reciprocation of the bed is attained, in this instance, by providinga pair of gear racks on the under surface of the frame 54 of the pressso that one rack is above the other. The two racks are made rigid witheach other and with the frame 54 so that a gear wheel, commonly termedas a star wheel the frame at right I 53, will mesh with one continuousrotation of the star wheel. The star wheel 58 is Journaled in an arm 54one end of which is pivoted to the shaft 41 and the other end formed toride upon the outer periphery of a cam 54' which is keyed to the axle 55of the gear wheel 5|. The rotation of the axle 55 will cause the cam toact to move the star wheel 58 intermittently into mesh with one and thenthe other of the rack gears 54 for reciprocating the bed of the press. Agear 55 is keyed to the shaft 41 and adapted to mesh with and drive thestar wheel 58.

The axle of the cams 5| is provided with arms ,so that lugs 51 rigidlycarried on each end of the bed will contact one and then the other formoving the cams 5| and. raise and lower the bed 5. The cams 5| on eachend of the press are provided with a common axle 58 which is journaledin the frame and positioned at right angles to the reciprocation of thebed. One arm 59 is keyed to the shaft or axle 58 and adapted to be movedso that the cams thereof will lower the bed, and the other arm 18 isconnected by means of a key to the other axle 58 so that it may beengaged and moved to raise the bed. The two arms 55 and 10 are linkedtogether by means of a link bar 5|, each end of which is pivotallyconnected to its respective arm. A collar 1| is rigidly positioned onthe shaft 58 in position so that the arm 10. may be resiliently heldthereagainst so I that it may be engaged by the bed lug 51. A coilspring 12 is carried on the shaft 58 so that it will engage the side ofthe arm 18, opposite the side of the arm against the shaft collar 1|,and resiliently hold the arm against the collar. A threaded nut 13 iscarried on the shaft 58 so that it will bear against the other end ofthe spring and moving the nut on the shaft will of the arm 15 againstthe collar. By placing the arm in a resilient movable position on theshaft 58, tripping mechanical connection may be made for moving the armout of the path of the lug 51. and permit the bed to remain in its lowerposition when the operatorlof the press so desires.

This tripping means may also be connected to the control rod ll of thetransfer roller 2 in any desired manner (not shown).

Inking facilities for the type forms on the reciprocating type form bed5 may be of the conventional structure, or similar to that shown in Fig.9 in which the form rollers are journaled in a sliding frame which ispositioned on the frame member 59 of the bed and adapted to be moved ina reciprocating movement in the reverse direction of the reciprocationof the bed. This insures a complete distribution of the ink and permitsdistribution of the same without lengthening the movement of the bed andits cooperating parts. The frame 14 is slidably mounted on the bed frameso that it may raise and lower therewith, similar to the other inkingmechanism, and serve as bearings for the axles of the form rollers 15. Arack is made rigid with the frame 59 and serves as a means for revolving'the form rollers 15. When two or more rollers 15 are used, it ispreferable to stagger the rack engaging gear wheels so that one gear 11engages one rack 15 and a gear 18 engages and meshes with the other varythe tension of the pressure The rotary form of plate carrier, asillustrated in Fig. 16, may be of the conventional cylindrical form,preferably of the same size as the combination roller or cylinder l, andpositioned under the feed boardi and adjacent the cylinder I. Thestructure of the plate cylinder 19 may be of the conventional typeadapted to hold a negative plate (that is in the reverse of readingmatter), either in the relief or planographic form. In the latter casehowever, the conventional water roller system (not shown) would be used.

It is apparent that various changes may be made in the structure oftherollers and their related parts, especially in the method of opera,

tion of the control system, without departing from the spirit of myinvention. I have found by experience that the substance of thecombination cylinder must be of a resilient material which can be groundto precision after being castand must be impervious to climaticconditions;

What I claim is:'

1. In an off-set printing mechanism, means for carrying a type form orplate in negative-relief, a combination cylinder, one side of which is a2 platen surface, and the other side constructed to carry a resilientcomposition blanket to serve as a primary transfer surface, and asecondary transfer cylinder, said primary surface of the combinationcylinder adapted to receive a positive print from the form or plate, andto transfer a negative print on said secondary transfer cylinder, whichin turn is adapted to impart a positive print on paper carried by theplaten side of the combination cylinder.

2. In an oil-set printing mechanism, a reciprocable bed carrying a typeform in negativerelief, a combination cylinder, one side of which is aplaten surface, and the other side constructed to carry a resilientcomposition blanket to serve as a primary transfer surface, and asecondary transfer cylinder, said primary surface of the combinationcylinder adapted to receive a posiprimary transfer surface, and asecondary transfer cylinder, said primary surface of the combinationcylinder adapted to receive a positive print from the plate, and totransfer a negative print on said secondary transfer.c ylinder, whichin' turn is adapted to impart a positive print on paper carried by theplaten side of the combination cylinder. I

r KENNETH J.

